


After Fuji

by Joe_Reaves



Series: Learning From Experience [1]
Category: Formula 1 RPF
Genre: Angst, Fuji 2007, M/M, Pre-Slash, Shanghai 2007
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2010-04-15
Updated: 2010-04-15
Packaged: 2017-10-08 23:18:06
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,164
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/80521
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Joe_Reaves/pseuds/Joe_Reaves
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Mark goes to see Sebastian on the first day in Shanghai to clear the air after Fuji.</p>
            </blockquote>





	After Fuji

Mark headed for Sebastian's trailer, planning what he was going to say. On the one hand he was still seriously hacked off that his shot at second place had been ruined by a nineteen year old who was too busy wool-gathering to pay attention to the car in front of him, but on the other hand it had been a genuine accident and he'd been watching Lewis driving all over the track too. Of course he had been following Lewis and he was meant to be watching him, just like Sebastian was meant to be aware of what he'd been doing. He'd seen the shots of the kid crying in the pits though and he wanted to make sure he knew there were no hard feelings. He'd already been penalised by the stewards and would probably be starting right at the back for the next race; he didn't need to be worrying about getting decked if he ran into Mark in the pits during the weekend.

If he'd got hold of the kid right after the race he probably wouldn't have been generous, which reminded him, he owed someone else an apology too. He pulled his phone out and called Ann.

"Hello sweetheart," he said when she answered. "Can you send Louise Goodman some flowers for me? I probably got her into trouble by swearing at her on live TV. Send mum some too; she's going to skin me alive if she heard it."

He hung up and contemplated the door to Sebastian's trailer for a minute before knocking on the door. He grinned when a very rumpled looking Sebastian opened the door.

"Can I come in, mate?" he asked. He couldn't help the smile. Sebastian looked even younger like this. He was cute.

Sebastian stepped back warily to let him in. The last time he'd heard anything from Mark, it had been his words to a reporter after the race accusing him of being an inexperienced kid and fucking everything up. That had hurt. He knew he'd made a mistake. The crash had been his fault. He'd been transfixed by the sight of Hamilton's slowing McLaren and hadn't been watching to see what Mark was doing. Mark was one of the drivers he'd wanted to emulate when he got a seat in a Formula One car. Hamilton too, obviously, but he was almost the same age as Hamilton and you can't really look up to someone of the same generation. He'd seen the Australian Grand Prix where Mark had driven his first race for Minardi and led and he'd wanted to do that. And now here he was, driving for the team that had once been Minardi and the first time he managed to get anywhere near a podium place, he'd taken himself and Mark out through a moment of distraction.

"Would you like something to drink?" he asked, trying to put off the inevitable moment when Mark would tell him he was a menace and to keep the hell out of his way in future.

"Uh, yeah, thanks," Mark said. He'd half expected the kid to start in with half-assed excuses as soon as he saw him, but he wasn't. He'd admitted it had been his fault right after the crash too. That put him miles ahead of a lot of the older drivers in Mark's experience. "Just water please."

Sebastian pulled a couple of bottles from the fridge and tossed one to the older man. He knew he should probably say something, but there wasn't much to say. He'd wrecked his own race and Mark's in one move; a simple apology probably wasn't going to cut it.

Mark took a long drink from the water bottle, watching Sebastian shift self-consciously. "Look, mate, it was a mistake. We all make them," he said gently. "The weather was filthy and safety-cars aren't easy to deal with if you're new. Just try looking where you're going in future, OK?"

Sebastian was speechless for a moment. "Um, thanks. I'm very sorry. I didn't mean to hit you. I was watching Hamilton instead of you."

Mark shrugged. "What's done is done. I was pissed at the time, but everyone makes mistakes. Some of the best drivers I've raced with were menaces when they first started. Ralf shouldn't have been allowed behind the wheel of a pedal car let alone a racing car for his first couple of years. Lewis was all over the damn place behind that safety car. I know he was trying to find some grip, but I had to slam my brakes on not to end up passing him. And if you have to cry after crashing, try and make it back to your trailer next time. You can get away with it once or twice, just ask Hakkinen, but more than that and you'll get a reputation for not having the balls to do this job."

Sebastian blushed and looked down. "I didn't realise the television cameras were going to see that."

"They see everything, hear everything too," he added ruefully. "I sent the ITV girl some flowers earlier. I lost it a bit when she interviewed me after you pushed me off the track. You cried, I swore on live TV; think we're even there."

"My mother would be furious if I swore in public," Sebastian admitted. "She doesn't speak English but I think someone would tell her anyway."

"Mine too," Mark said with a grin. "And there's no way she didn't hear it. I've been dodging her calls since Sunday, hoping she'd calm down a bit."

Sebastian laughed, relaxing a little now it seemed that Mark wasn't mad at him any more. "What about your girlfriend?" he asked. "Did she tell you off?"

"Well she's my PR girl too, so she wasn't best pleased," Mark laughed. "She says they should have known better than to shove a microphone in my face after a crash if they didn't want to deal with the language."

"So, watch where I'm going, don't swear on TV, don't cry too often... Any other useful advice?" Sebastian asked.

"Nah, I think that's it for now," Mark said with a smile. He tilted his head and watched him for a moment. He was right; Sebastian was cute. He was definitely going to have to find an excuse to spend a bit more time around the kid. He drained the bottle of water and reached over to put it on the table, brushing against Sebastian as he did so. "If I think of anything else I'll pop round and tell you though." He smiled slowly. Anne always said his smile was one of his best points. "Good luck this weekend, kid. I'll see you around."

He stood up and casually stroked Sebastian's shoulder as he walked past and then let himself out, smiling at the expression on the younger driver's face. Yes he was definitely going to have to visit again and let him benefit from his experience.


End file.
